Tsugaruite is a rare lead-arsenic sulfosalt primarily known from the Yunosawa mine in Japan. It typically forms thin, white to pale yellow tabular crystals and is highly valued by specialized collectors of sulfosalt minerals.
Is this tsugaruite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch tsugaruite with a known reference. Tsugaruite sits at Mohs 2 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Tsugaruite leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Tsugaruite typically shows a pearly luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: white, colorless, pale yellow.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: orthorhombic. Typical habit: tabular crystals, aggregates.
Often confused with
Tsugaruite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Tsugaruite leaves white, Galena leaves lead-gray; luster reads pearly on Tsugaruite and metallic on Galena.
How to tell apart: Sartorite is the harder of the two (Mohs 3 vs. 2); streak differs — Tsugaruite leaves white, Sartorite leaves chocolate-brown; luster reads pearly on Tsugaruite and metallic on Sartorite.
Often found alongside tsugaruite
Minerals reported to co-occur with tsugaruite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Pb₄As₂S₇
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 6.12 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Pearly
- Transparency
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Orthorhombic
- Crystal habit
- Tabular Crystals, Aggregates
- Cleavage
- Perfect On {001}
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- Epithermal Veins
- Typical price
- $100-500 depending on specimen size and quality
Where rockhounds find tsugaruite
Classic worldwide localities
- Yunosawa mine, Aomori Prefecture, Japan
Field-hunting tip
Look in epithermal veins country — that is the host setting where tsugaruite typically forms. If you start seeing galena, sphalerite, pyrite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a tabular crystals, aggregates habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find tsugaruite on the map
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